income support and bettering myself- please help x

chinesedeli

Hi there, I was really hoping that someone maybe able to help me.
I have just started to claim income support and have started thinking about what I would like to do for work when my baby is a bit older.
I would really really like to get off of benefits and do something like nursing or a college course. Could someone tell me what sort of help there is for someone like me and what benefits I would be entitled to? As I just need to know that I would be able to support my child whilst I am bettering myself- I am 25, thankyou greatly x

Dib4uk

Yes of course you can do college courses.

All you need to do is think about what you want to do, and as long as you've got proof that your getting income support then u can take that to the local colleges.

As far as child care goes, it depends on how old your child is. There might be evening clasess in your area that you might want to do.

Depends on also your needs, because some colleges will pay for childcare, even if you have a part time job, in the form of Working Families Tax Credit!!

But good luck.

Also its worth while mentioninging it to the job center and/or the pathways to work interview.

chinesedeli

thankyou for your advice it is greatly appreciated as I feel down right now and what to do something that will help me to get a decent job one day.
If I did a college course would i still be able to get income support? Also what would happen with nursing if I wanted to do that? How would it work as I think you get a bursary for about £400-£500 a month would i have to pay all rent with that? Thanks again hun x

McKneff

cant help you re bursaries etc but i just wanted to say that i admire your determination to 'better yourself' If you can stay motivated especially by thinking about the life you can give your baby and yourself you wont go far wrong. Is father not about to help with child support. Good luck to you both.

mummytofour

Yes you can better yourself and you will.

I wont bored you with my long dull life story! But I will tell you that I failed at school.
2 yrs ago I was finally able to start college at 28 yrs old! I undertook key skills level 2 in English and maths at a drop in type centre. I passed!!!!! Key skills level 2 is similar to G.C.S.E C grade. It took me almost a year to get to the required level but I did get there.

This school year just gone I did an Access course at college, I got funding for my HUGE massive childcare bill ( I have 5 children) via care 2 learn, without the funding I never would of been able to study. Thankfully with a lot of hard work I passed!!!

I now have a place at Uni and start in a couple of weekS. My husband gave up his job a few weeks ago to look after our children and to go to college part-time. We will be BETTER off in education than we were when he was working in London in a fairly well paid job.

So, you can better yourself and there is lots of advice out there. Try your local college or your loan parent adviser. Good luck, you sound like somebody who will go a long long way in your life and with the right help and support you will be a huge credit to single mother hood!

busy_mom_2

hi, pls go and vist a lone parent adviser at the jobcentre, you can go as often or a little as you like and they can help you with the training you need, there may also be help with childcare costs and when you are ready to go back to work they will help with tax credits and you may qualify for adviser discetion fund which is money for you to help you buy clothes etc to start work.

paulwellerfan

hi i just want to add some more support.
just like the previous poster i too left school with no qualifications.
didnt see the point of them in those days ( in the 80's) and besides that i got pregnant at 17.
some years later and after being on benefits for years
i went on to do an access course ( and still got income support)
then i went on to uni.
i have been left uni now for 2 years and am in a well paid job.
dont settle for being on benefits there is life and help out there for you.
if you need any further info please pm me.

chinesedeli

Thankyou everyone you are all an inspiration for people like me.
Do you think that I will still get income support if I am doing a full/part time course?
My partner is in prison now so he is trying to learn what he can whilst he is inside and I now want to focus on me and learning something too x

Oldernotwiser

If you are on any means tested benefit like IS you shouldn't have to pay any tuition fees and may get help with childcare and travel. You should contact your local college straight away as term is just starting, otherwise you'll be likely to have to wait for another year!

tom9980

Just to confirm ive spent approx the last 5 years doing various IT college courses while on IS for incapacity and all my tuiton fees and exam fees were picked up by the college in one form or another. Never had a problem at all the staff were very good and considerate of my needs and issues as well.

chinesedeli

so does that mean if I am recieving roughly £140 a week IS and CTC I would still be getting that should I go to college? Does it make a difference full or part time too? Thankyou x